


misconceptions.

by sutera



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: ???? lMAO, Confessions, Didn't Know They Were Dating, M/M, Misunderstandings, ummmm
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-14
Updated: 2018-03-14
Packaged: 2019-03-31 06:21:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,708
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13969185
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sutera/pseuds/sutera
Summary: Everyone seems to believe Ignis and Noct are dating.





	misconceptions.

**Author's Note:**

  * For [kiroochuu](https://archiveofourown.org/users/kiroochuu/gifts).



> set roughly a year or two before the game starts?? 
> 
> written for the [ignoct white day exchange](https://ignoctgiftexchange.tumblr.com/)!!! hope my giftee enjoys!! 8D

“Hey, Iggy. Are we dating?”

Ignis almost chokes on his steak.

As it is, there are a few hearty coughs expelled from him, mostly helped by the soft thumps Noct frantically gives his upper back, before Ignis manages a slow breath in and out.

“What—makes you say that, Noct?” He is calm. He is composed. Noct surely cannot have meant what he just said. _Surely_.

Noct’s not looking at him though when he tentatively goes back around the table to retake his seat. Yet even seated, he keeps his gaze on his food. “We’re eating dinner together every night. We make it a thing to go look at the stars two or three times a month. We see each other pretty much every day and invite each other on hangouts to a place we think is interesting.” A pause. Noct starts to look up but Ignis immediately averts his own gaze. “So… we’re dating?”

“No,” Ignis says immediately, because there’s nothing _else_ he can say to that. He thinks, fervently, about how interesting the intricate circles the polished wood of the table is. His grip tightens on his cutlery. “I—suspect that would cause quite the uproar, Noct.”

There’s a pause. Ignis chances a look up. Noct’s leaning his chin on his palm, elbow resting on the edge of the table, and his free hand is occupied by his phone as he swipes aimlessly through a social media site.

“Alright,” Noct says simply, not even glancing up, and Ignis tries not to feel nor think anything more on the matter.

* * *

 

“Sooooo… you and Noct, huh? Dating?”

Ignis inhales slowly. Exhales. He stares at Prompto and tries not to glare instead.

“What exactly gives you that impression?” he asks stiffly. Prompto looks satisfyingly spooked.

“Uh, uh—nothing! Nothing at all! Just, haha, you know! Wondering. And, um… stuff.” He shifts nervously, looking as if he’s about to bolt.

Ignis assumes an excuse is about to leave the blonde’s mouth within three seconds. He counts down inwardly. Three. Two. One—

“I just—I got pictures. Lots of ‘em. Of you two.” Prompto’s slapping a hand to his mouth as if he can’t quite believe what he’s just said. He laughs nervously when Ignis fixes an… undeniably intense gaze on him. Ignis doesn’t doubt his tension is relayed in such a look. He holds both hands up in helpless surrender. “N-not in a creepy way! Obviously! It just happened! I swear!”

“Just… happened?” Ignis repeats slowly. He’s attempting not to think too hard on this matter. It’s something he’s avoided dwelling too much on personally, after all, not when there is… _backlash_ to be considered.

Prompto’s nodding enthusiastically though. His arms shoot out to offer his camera. When Ignis doesn’t immediately take it, he withdraws very slightly, looking embarrassed. “Um, ah, you wanna look, right? I mean, I can send you the photos!”

Ignis thinks that would be torture. He shakes his head. Prompto visibly deflates.

“Apologies,” Ignis says quietly; he so _yearns_ inwardly but there are far more important matters to be considered. “I… don’t think I would enjoy them as much as you hope I will.”

“Right,” Prompto says, already miserable and looking wretchedly downtrodden. Like a puppy, almost, and Ignis tries to stifle his sympathy for the other. “Okay. Um… well! It’s cool! No harm! No hard feelings!”

Ignis nods stiffly.

 

Later that night, Ignis receives an email. Attached is a download link to approximately two-thousand-and-forty-five photos.

He stares at the number. Had he accepted Prompto’s invitation, he wonders if it would take _weeks_ to go over everything, but then quickly derails that train of thought. He sighs and hovers his mouse over the ‘delete’ button.

Pauses instead. Downloads it. Decides to click on the first picture.

It’s of him and Noct, of course. They’re in a booth at a café they both tend to frequent. Ignis for the cakes. Noct for the pastries. It seems as if the photo was taken from outside; it’s just heading towards evening so there’s a soft glow that makes them visible even through the window. They’re both hunched over the table, delectable food apparently forgotten, and Noct seems to be the one talking animatedly. The Ignis in the photo is staring at him with such a hideously wide smile, eyes soft with _something_ , and he hates it.

But then he looks at Noct. Looks at the way Noct’s hands curl near his own. Looks at how invested Noct is in whatever topic they’d been talking about at the time. Looks at the light of his eyes, passion so clearly captured with stunning photography, and looks at the way dark bangs frame his perfect face.

Ignis swallows.

He remembers that day. The cafe had released new pastries. Noct called him up excitedly and practically demanded that Ignis come take him there. Ignis obliged happily.

Of course, Prompto bumped into them half an hour into it. They both noticed, with confusion, him guiltily putting away his camera before Noct waved him in. Ignis supposes he knows now what photo he’d taken.

Letting out a shaky breath, he closes the photo. He stares at the number again. Two-thousand-and-forty-five.

Ignis checks the time. It’s 10:15PM. He must be up and ready by 6AM.

Sighing, he resigns himself to the next photo and the inevitable lack of sleep.

* * *

 

“You won’t let it interfere with your duties, right?”

Ignis grits his teeth as he parries Gladio’s blow and forces him back a couple of steps with a few, well-timed arcs at his stomach.

“Won’t let what interfere?” he pants out. His muscles are straining. This session seems longer than most which is ridiculous. They never exceed the time limit allowed to them. They both have busy schedules, after all.

Gladio casts him an exasperated look. “You ‘nd Noct,” he says plainly, as if that answers _anything_ , and Ignis barely holds back a snarl as he lunges to press his offence.

“There is _nothing_ going on,” Ignis hisses between snatched breaths. Gods. Why must everyone _insist_? What exactly _caused_ this? “I would ask that you do not—make such ridiculous assumptions!”

“Hard _not_ to,” Gladio grunts back, surprise flashing in his face for an instant as he immediately tries to fend off every oncoming blow and subsequently must take a step back every time. _Good_ , Ignis thinks savagely, and presses on forcefully. But then, “what with His Majesty saying it’s a thing ‘nd all.”

_What?!_

Ignis falters. It costs him, and Gladio immediately takes advantage. Wholly distracted by the maelstrom in his mind, he fails to fend off Gladio’s disarm, and he’s without his weapons and on the ground, wheezing, before he knows it.

“Damn, Iggy,” Gladio blows out, huffing out a laugh. “You’ve really fallen hard, huh?”

At any other time, Ignis would have appreciated the pun. As it is, his pride is wounded and he’s sore and he’s being suddenly confronted with something he’s _feared_ for a very long time.

“What—did His Majesty _say_ exactly?” he asks stiffly, refusing the hand Gladio offers and helps himself to his feet.

“Said that he encourages it. Said we should help you guys out in keeping it a secret. Also to report if any backlash occurs.”

Ignis stares. “ _When_? Why?” Then, with a larger amount of horror, “to _who_?!”

“Uh,” and here Gladio shifts uncomfortably, “to... to us, mostly. But he sent out an email about rumours. Think he meant, um, about you two.”

There’s a very brief moment Ignis’ mind goes static from pure incredulity and utter shock. It’s in that brief moment that he sputters without any dignity before drawing the sounds up and away and fervently tries to keep his composure. _Tries_ to. He’d gotten the email himself. He hadn’t realized it’d been about—about _them_.

“His Majesty held the meeting last week when you were down with food poisoning,” Gladio mutters, looking guilty. “Asked me and Prom to tell you.”

“And yet,” Ignis says icily, “you both didn’t.”

He remembers the incident. Remembers retching his guts out repeatedly for three days straight. Noct came as much as he was able to and even stayed with him two out of the three nights. Gladio popped by to comment that he’d never seen Ignis that sick before. Prompto fluttered anxiously about when he visited, accompanying Noct.

Then, when Ignis received a text and email about a meeting, he tried to go. Tried to. Instead he was forced into bedrest. Afterwards, he received the severely abbreviated version from Noct about how it was ‘nothing at all’ when he came back from the—

“Noct was there,” Ignis says slowly, numbly. “Noct was at the meeting.”

“Yeah,” Gladio says quickly, letting out a nervous laugh. “He was. Couldn’t say much to the order. Looked like a fish out of water.”

“He didn’t say anything,” Ignis says quietly, then draws in a sharp breath. “He didn’t say anything?” he asks again of Gladio, sharper.

Gladio shrugs. “Thanked his dad then was the first to walk out. Didn’t say anything to me or Prompto.”

Ignis takes a deep breath. Lets it out slowly. He’s been doing this a lot, nowadays. “Ah,” he says simply.

“’M guessing that means you guys aren’t, then?” Gladio asks, frowning now.

Ignis shakes his head mutely.

“Oh,” Gladio says. He looks far too awkward in his own skin now. “Uh... well. You should consider it then, Iggy.”

“Consider what?” Ignis already knows what Gladio’s saying. He feels the urge to leave rising.

“Making it official with Noct.”

“No.” His tone is flat. Gladio stares at him. He’s probably waiting for an explanation. Ignis doesn’t give him one. Instead, he turns on his heel. “I have to go.”

“Iggy,” Gladio says with an edge of frustration, “c’mon—”

“The sparring hour is up,” Ignis says over his shoulder before he leaves the hall.

* * *

 

“So, you are dating my son.”

Ignis feels far too stiff and unfeeling to be having this sort of conversation with His Majesty, King Regis right now. He bows deeply before straightening. “Your Majesty, I believe there to be a misconception towards the nature of the relationship I have with His Highness.”

“Oh?” His Majesty leans forward in his throne. Ignis thanks fervently there is no one else around to witness this. “You both seem to be enamoured with each other.” He sighs. “Tell me your thoughts, Ignis.”

Ignis draws in a short breath. “I... have no wish to engage in such acts with His Highness. There are... certain restrictions surrounding our positions and I believe it will incur irreversible backlash from the public as well as certain members of authority.”

King Regis stays silent for a moment. Ignis manages to keep calm and still and patient, manages to keep his expression level and impassive. Finally, His Majesty sighs. “Ignis, I will be frank with you: many already think you’ve been courting Noctis.”

Ignis thinks he feels his heart stop. “Majesty?” he asks numbly.

“I am not angry,” King Regis says. He leans back in his throne. The admission doesn’t exactly help Ignis with the shock currently sweeping over him. “I was more-so... disappointed that Noct thought not to approach me with this himself. You, as well. But it seems you both were under the impression that you were not... dating.”

Ignis stares. His mouth feels dry. “We—aren’t, Your Majesty.”

“Do you wish to be?”

Ignis opens his mouth. Closes it. Everything he’s denied thinking about comes back in a rush and he feels his chest swell just with the thought of Noct. Then, he realises who he’s speaking to and starts to shake his head.

“Honesty, Ignis,” King Regis says sharply. “Don’t hide your mind from me nor, especially, from yourself.”

Stiffly, Ignis slowly nods. It takes about a quarter of his lifespan to do so. “I wish to make him happy,” Ignis says quietly.

“I’ve no doubt you already do.” His Majesty loses the intensity. There’s a sudden, gentle smile gracing his features. “But does he make you happy?”

There’s no doubt. “Very much so,” Ignis says fervently.

“Then date him. With my blessing.” His Majesty waves a hand as if this is a simple matter.

Ignis barely manages to hold back a strangled noise. As it is, he sounds choked when he speaks next. “Majesty?”

“You’ve no need to worry about repercussions.” His Majesty has... an infinitely fond look on his face. “I wish for my son to be happy as well while... ah, considering the pains of his past and the heaviness of his future. That should not come as a surprise to you.”

“No, Your Majesty.” Ignis knows this. Ignis knows the burdens placed on Noct. Gods, he would do anything to see him smile and keep smiling. Anything.

“Good. Dismissed, then.  And, please...” King Regis’ smile fades and sobriety envelopes his tired features, “continue to take care of my son.”

Ignis bows deeply. “As I have sworn, Your Majesty.”

* * *

 

“You asked if we were dating.”

Noct looks up from his phone. “Yeah?” he asks uncertainly.

Ignis heaves a sigh but maintains the eye contact. There’s... something carefree in his chest. Something incredibly sweet and warm. He clears his throat. “We seem to be. Dating, that is.”

There’s nothing quite like seeing Noct perking up with ridiculous happiness and Ignis feels his heart swell upon seeing it. The beautiful azures of his eyes light up. There’s a wide smile curving his lips. He’s sitting up straighter in his seat and his phone hangs limply from his grip. “Yeah?” he asks again, his voice higher with joy.

Ignis smiles and feels incredibly glad that... merely _that_ can make Noct so... well. “Yes, Noct. If... if you’ll have me.”

“Yeah!” Noct says, grinning, before he coughs in embarrassment. “I mean. It’s cool. I figured ‘cause—‘cause we’re already doing all this stuff and, um...”

“Your father informed me what that meeting was about, Noct,” Ignis tells him gently, and cannot help the slightest smirk when he sees the look of horror cross Noct’s face. “Rest assured, I’ve spoken with him.”

“Oh,” Noct says weakly. “Uh... I really meant to tell you what happened at the meeting but... didn’t wanna, y’know, pressure you or anything. If you—if you didn’t want to.” His voice sounds smaller by the end of the sentence.

Ignis feels scandalized. “My apologies, Noct. I’d—I hoped I’d not given off the impression of not wishing to be with you. I merely—”

“Duty, yeah,” Noct says quietly, then he shakes his head. “But, hey, we’re here now right? And, uh... we both wanna make it a thing.” He slowly grins again. “Us.”

“Us,” Ignis breathes out, and the reality hits him. Giddiness rises in him with it’s fluttery effects. He swallows. “May I—hold your hand, Noct?”

Noct all but drops his phone. “Duh, Iggy,” he says, and before Ignis can even make a move he’s reaches out across the table, palm up.

Carefully, Ignis takes it and, with only a split second of hesitation, he turns Noct’s hand over and presses his lips atop the knuckles.

He hears Noct splutter and darts his gaze up to see light pink stain his cheeks. He smiles against Noct’s hand and gently sets it down on the table.

“G-give a guy a warning,” Noct mutters, but he’s immediately curling his fingers around the edge of Ignis’ hand and giving a light squeeze. “You know, later, after I brush my teeth real thoroughly, I’m gonna kiss you.”

“After you brush your teeth?” Ignis asks, amused.

“Yeah, gotta make it perfect. First kiss ‘nd all. Ours, I mean.” Noct seems embarrassed he’s even saying those things. Ignis thinks it’s charming and, well, perhaps the thought to brush his teeth himself sets itself firmly on his mind.

“I’ve no doubt it will be perfect no matter what,” Ignis says softly, and returns the grin Noct sends his way.

Nothing has to change. No one is going to come running in and demanded that Ignis be separated from Noct. They’re free to do as they wish.

Smiling, Ignis squeezes Noct’s hand and, if he leans over the table to gently kiss Noct anyway, then that will be their little secret to keep.

**Author's Note:**

> im kinda?? ?tempted to write a prequel for this wheezes lkjasf anyWAY I HOPE IT WAS ALRIGHT LKJASf
> 
> also have the quiet king regis who just wants his son to be happy regardless of the consequences bc he knows what his future holds............ im weep


End file.
